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Opinion Contributor

Dems: Stop caving in

In April — with a Democrat in the White House and Democrats still in the majority in the Senate — Republicans threatened to shut down the government and delay the processing of new Social Security benefits unless their demands were met. Democrats went along with $78 billion in cuts from the president’s budget request.

In August, in an outrageous display of unprincipled gamesmanship, Republicans put the United States on the brink of bankruptcy. Instead of invoking clear 14th Amendment powers to honor our nation’s debts, the president and most Democrats agreed to a $2.5 trillion deficit-reduction package.

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That’s how we got to where we are today.

This time, if the president and Democrats on the supercommittee go along with cuts in Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, the three pillars of the New Deal and the Great Society, and permanently extend the Bush tax breaks for the wealthiest 2 percent, voters will shake their heads in disbelief. They will arrive at the reasonably valid conclusion that there are no significant differences between the two parties controlled by corporate interests.

This is a pivotal moment in U.S. history. The rich and large corporations are doing phenomenally well while the middle class is collapsing and poverty is increasing. Now is the time to answer the question that Woody Guthrie poignantly asked: “Which side are you on?”

The Democrats must answer boldly that they are on the side of working families and the middle class and that they will fight to protect their interests.

What if the supercommittee ends in stalemate? Across-the-board, automatic cuts are set to kick in. That so-called sequestration wouldn’t start, however, until 2013. That would make 2012 one of the most important election years in modern U.S. history.

If Democrats stand with ordinary Americans and make it clear that they are prepared to take on the wealthy and the powerful, they could win both houses of Congress. They could give Obama a fresh infusion of boldness as he enters a second term in the White House.

Somehow, I recall a few years ago, millions of Americans chanting, “Yes we can.” Now is the time to hear their voices.

Readers' Comments (67)

have to love how a snaggle-toothed socialist from Vermont, who always looks as if he's just walked away from an electro-shock therapy treatment, pretends to know what the American people want. the only way this idiot has ever seen a real American is if they somehow turned around while Bernie was in the middle of cornholing them. left-wing extremists like this guy crow about how they are for the "people" while by their actions they virtually ensure that my children will live lives of limited opportunity and crushing taxation in order to finance the obsolete dreams of human relics like Bernie Sanders.

Obama is the biggest threat to Democratic principles than anyone else in D.C. But hey, those Democratic congressional types don't act like Democrat either. I think the entire party is compromised, bought off, sold out, and pathetic. For example, here's the current ideology of the Democratic party.

1. There's just two womens' issues: Lesbians and abortion. Nothing else. They don't even talk about anything else when it comes to women, well, unless, it's about a black woman.

2. Middle-class: That's only about government employees. Working poor? That's S.E.I.U. The party doesn't even try to speak up for anyone else because they don't relate anymore to anyone else.

3. Progressives? I think not. Why do they continuing to shore up the weflare cottage industry? After 40 years should people who call themselves "progressives" be willling to examine policies are just plain wrong and just be abolished - like welfare?

An October 26 CBS/NYT poll found that 65% of voters favor an tax increase on million-dollar households, and 30% oppose it. Not coincidentally, 67% thought that further cuts in the corporate tax rate would be a bad idea.

You can tax the whole group of earners that report over $ 500,000.00 of income a year and still only pay for a minuscule portion of the debt that the Dems ballooned with their "housing for anyone that can sign a contract" scam. Yet like the lap dogs you are, you continue to listen to drivel like this?

Do yourself a favor and do some research of your own. The wars cost very little compared to the bribes slathered around by the Dems to keep their minions in line.

Lets take politics out of it: Bush spent way too much money, he was wrong.

Obamas solution: spend even more, and faster! He is also wrong.

Yeah, you libs need to stand up and get some courage! You greens and indies can push from the rear, but you all better do something, cause we aren't going over this cliff anywhere near quickly enough. With your help, we can make Greece look like a quarter dropped in the sewer!

It's also a decision for the country as a whole... don't cut higher education!

Are we going to remain competitive with all the other westernized countries who heavily subsidize a college education, while we make it unafordable for our own citizens?

If we don't remain competitive in making college affordable, other workers from other countries will simply take the jobs we are not qualified for, even here at home. Plus, even if our citizens do go to college, they'll be so in debt, they won't have the income to buy houses or consumer goods due to debt, thus suppressing the economy even further.

We are slitting our throats making our citizens choose between no higher education or a life of debt. We'll simply be unable to compete for jobs and those who have the education to do so, will not have any buying power to stimulate the economy.

Here is something we all can agree on: Federal deficits are a serious problem.

Here is something few can seriously dispute: Today’s big deficits were caused mainly by big tax cuts for the wealthy, two unpaid-for wars, a horrible recession caused by Wall Street greed and an expensive prescription drug program rigged to favor pharmaceutical companies.

The "big tax cuts for the wealthy" have been in place since at least 2003, the "two unpaid-for wars" have been going on since 2001, the "expensive prescription drug program rigged to favor pharmaceutical companies" has been in effect since 2003, yet the deficits did not soar until 2009 when Democrats controlled the presidency and had large majorities in both houses of Congress.

The housing crisis was caused by decades of government programs to make it easy for people to buy houses even though they could not afford to do so. When they quit making their payments the house of cards collapsed.

Socalism doesn't work, Bernie. As Margaret Thatcher famously pointed out, sooner or later you run out of other people's money.

Just look at Europe to see what socialism and big government does to destroy countries.

Senator Saunders, you are an honorable man, and an intelligent one. What in God's name are you doing in American politics?

The American polity is a leprous monster, utterly incurable--a mass of resentful hicks manipulated by fascist oligarchs. There's no hope. But if there were, it would reside in you, Mr. Saunders. You're too good for them; that's the best I can say about the whole filthy mess.

On Election Day this month, in Ohio and many other states, voters said no to right-wing extremism and corporate greed. We Are Ohio, a group active in the fight against the law, spent more than $17 million during the most recent reporting period, from July to the present, and has more than $4 million on hand. Some of the biggest donors to that cause were teachers' unions, including the Ohio Education Association, whose contributions included a $4.7 million donation in August, records show. The Ohio Federation of Teachers was also a big donor, giving at least $1.1 million during that period, and the parent organization of the OEA, the National Education Association, spent at least $2 million over that time, according to state reports. Unions across other sectors contributed millions more. The teachers have spent millions to win the right to purchase a group of bureaucrats that will insure pay raises and lucrative benefits while raising property taxes on homes. The millions spent over a couple of month were very disturbing for some. No one wants to be robbed or raped; no one wants to see their house burn to the ground. This was what scared people into ignoring the fact those teachers will be able to determine when it is time to raise taxes. They will most assuredly raise property taxes and say it’s a good start but it still not enough.

Too much money spoils everything from politics to college sports. Short term gains for a few with long term losses for the nation. Corporate oliligarchy is not Capitalism, much less, represenative democracy. Senator Sanders is one of a very few credible voices in Washington. Conservatives need a conscience that includes the needs of social security recipients and underfed children. Democrats need to grow a spine.

"This time, if the president and Democrats on the supercommittee go along with cuts in Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, the three pillars of the New Deal and the Great Society, and permanently extend the Bush tax breaks for the wealthiest 2 percent, voters will shake their heads in disbelief. They will arrive at the reasonably valid conclusion that there are no significant differences between the two parties controlled by corporate interests."

Most of us have already arrived at this "reasonably valid conclusion." It has ever been the predictable outcome of the corporate dominance of the government starting in the Reagan and resulting in a de-industrialized nation.

There are those institutional entities I done want to be run "like a business," the sole end of which is to produce a "the bigger the better profit." Those institutions include the charitys, the parks, the churches, the schools, the libraries, the courts, the jails and prisons, and the hospitals.

I'd like to know, how does one "cave in" to one's self? Most of the so-called Democrats serve the same masters as do most of the so-called Republicans. We do not have a two-party system in this country, we have two interchangeable parties which stage carefully choreographed mock fights every two to four years, and then go back to their real jobs, taking care of the interests of the 1 to 10% who actually matter. The only reason that any "solutions" to the current economic crisis, other than austerity programs for the majority of the population is being discussed by the two interchangeable parties at this time, is because the various Occupy movements have forced them to do so.

Bernie, your premise is total BS. certainly today's deficits were impacted by the items you mention, but you are living in liberal never never land if you believe that the social welfare system of SS, and subsidized healthcare aren't major contributors to our country's unsustainable debts.

Demographics are driving us to bankrupcy; the nation's population is aging, living longer than was planned for in the past, and with fewer younger workers to pay the tab, and so the weight of our pension and health systems is going to bury us. That's the truth.

That is why so many states and cities are also going broke even though they don't carry the costs of national defense or your so called class warfare BS "tax breaks for the wealthy", etc.

We are going broke because we can't afford to subsidize the living standards of an entire nation. Just like the EU, the reckoning is coming...

Senator Sanders, there is nobody I'd rather see in the Senate than you; literally - I'm from Texas. You seem to be in your element there too. It looks like your natural AND PREFERRED habitat.

I don't have to tell you the Vice President Presides over the Senate. But I do have to ask...Would you consider being a Vice Presidential Candidate?

Desperate times call for desparate measures, a lot of people read what I write, and a lot of them like what they read. I am a Philosopher - have ben [spare time] for over 30 years. I started when I had free time & didn't know what to do on the U.S.S. SARATOGA while at sea during our 78-79 Med cruise.

I have waited for those 30+ years for someone to come along who saw the big picture & knew what had to be done. Then came Barack Obama and I felt like a blessing was about to descend on the nation. I have been impressed with some accomplishments, but underwhelmed overall. You speak the truth to power FROM the power & that is fantastic. But are you electable? Sure I and most intellectuals would vote for you in a heartbeat, but could you get a majority? I don't think so, because of the passion, [which I consider a positive] you display when repudiating things that SHOULD BE, being held up for ridicule by the *******s on the other side.

But, you'd make a great Vice President, and, just in case, God forbid, the worst should happen, I can't imagine anyone I'd rather see sworn in.

As of now, running for President myself in 2016 is mere speculation. But it's building momentum. And, to give 'em a hook to hang onto, I have started using a few campaign style lines, only one of which mentions you by name.

STARKEY SANDERS SIXTEEN

I hope you take it in the spirit intended - that being my ideal V.P. & God forbid, my term-finisher. I can LITERALLY think of no one else who is even in the same league.

I won't ask you to look me up or read my writings, unless so inclined. I know you are busy. But, you may find this interesting: I am as liberal as you can get without spontaneously combusting.